Scouring



(N0 Model.) a Sheets Sheet 1;

J. M. GA-SE. SGOURING, DISINTEGRATINQ, AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

No. 601,728. Patented Apr. 5, 1898.

5-68 o Azaeni'r (No Model.) I v 3 SheetsSheet 2 J. M. CASE.

7 SGOURING,DISINTEGRATING, AND SBPARATING MACHINE. No 601,728. IPatented Apr. 55, 1898.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. CASE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

sooumNc, DISINTEGRATING, AND SEPARATINGF MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,728, dated April 5,1898.

Application 5155 April 15, 1896. Serial No. 587,655. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. CASE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Scouring,Disintegrating, and Separating Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My machine has for its objects to provide an effective means forscouring substances of various kinds, such as grain, or for separatingimpure or light material from heavier or pure material-such, forinstance, as in the process of milling or for separating flour,middlings,or other granular substances into grades of fineness accordingto their specific gravity, or for cleaning the fiber from cottonseed andseparating the same from the grain and collecting it, or for grindinggrain or middlings and continuously removing the ground product duringthe process of reduction, or for milling hominy and separatingthedetached bran, germ, and grits from the hominy during the process ofmilling. ,In carrying out these various objects for which my machine isadapted I make slight modifications in the surfaces, the fan, and thesettling chambers;- but the general principle of the machine and mode ofoperation remain the same forall the different usesto which it may beput.

The leading feature of this invention consists in causing theair-current from the fan to continuously cross the path of the materialbeing operated upon in such a manner that.

the lighter material is carried away into set tling-chambers, while theheaviermaterial returns for further treatmentwithout again coming incontact with any of the substances which have been separated from it. Ifind it impracticable to separate by throwing the mixed material into avertical chimney or tube in which the air-current is delivered, becausethe momentum of the heavy material causes it to pass many feet beyond*the light material to be separated, and in its return it drives 1 backthe light material which has become separated instead of permitting itto pass off with the air. Moreover, when the fan is run up to asufficient speed to produce an air-current for removing cheat andsmut-balls from wheatunless the tube is obstructed the wheat will bethrown not less than thirty feet high. These difiiculties render theunobstructed vertical-tube machines impractical. In my machine I do notdepend upon-throwing the material upward or in any special direction,but I provide a means for deflecting the material, so as to arrest itsmomentum and direct it across the outgoing current of air in a thinsheet and cause it to return by another path for further treatment, ashereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section,on' the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of one form of a machine adapted for cleaning,scouring, or disintegrating wheat or other material. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same on the two planes indicated by thebroken line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a machineembodying the invention adapted for grindingand separating products intofour grades, the lower ends of the four settling-chambers being shown bythe section represented at 3 and which is taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 3.Fig. 4 isa detail view illustrating the operation of the machine when inoperation, the material being thrown out of the mouth of the fan anddeflected across the outgoing current of air, whereby the light materialis removed and the heavier returns for further treatment. Figs. 5 to 9,inclusive, represent fragments of the concave lining and theoperating-surface of the machine for treating the grain or othermaterial. Fig. 5 represents surfaces adapted for reducing wheat tomiddlings. Fig. 6 represents such parts constructed with anabrading-surface, such as emery, and adapted for delinting cotton-seed.Fig. 7 shows surfaces adapted for reducing wheat to flour. Fig. 8

shows surfaces suitable for cleaning wheat per orspont upon a riddle 1,Figs. 1 and 2, v

which separates small refuse and discharges this through an opening 2,the material to be treated in the machine passingover the tail of theriddle 1, through a lateral opening 3, into a spout 4. near one end ofthe machine, by which it is delivered in a vertical chute and air-trunk5, which trunk extends longiries of oblique partitions 8 8 8 for thepur-' pose of gradually forwarding the material from end to end of themachine as it is successively thrown upwardly by the scouring andaspiratin g apparatus,now to be described. At the back of the chutesformed between the deflecting-partitions 8 is a vertical longitudinaldeflecting-board 9, inclined at the lower edge, as shown in Fig. 1, forthe purpose of directing into the fan-case 1O material passing throughthe chutes between said partitions 8. The interior surface of thefan-case 10 is suitably corrugated or roughened, as shown in Fig. 1, toadapt it for scouring or disintegrating purposes. The rotary fanconsists of a series of curved blades 11, mounted upon a shaft 13, uponthe outer edges with concentric scouring-surfaces 12. The outer edges ofthe blades 11 12 are connected to the hub of the fan by radialbrace-rods 15 through the medium of a pair of nuts 16 and 17, by theadjustment of which the scouring-surfaces 12 may be set at any desiredproximity to the scouring interior surface of the fancase 10. The fanbeing rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 1, itscentrifugal action causes a forcible current of air up through the trunk7, and the centrifugal force of the blades likewise projects upwardlyinto the trunkthe material subjected to the scouring action. The rearWall 7" of the trunk 7 is curved forward above the deflecting-partition9, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to act in conjunction with the front wall 7in deflecting and returning to the fan-case the heavier materials whichare thrown upwardly into the chute 7 by the centrifugal action of thefan.

From the description it will be apparent that the material projectedupwardly into the chute 7 will be impelled in a thin sheet across theascending air-current in the cylindrical chamber formed between thecurved walls 7 a 7", from which the heavier material will be returnedover and over into the interior of thefan-case, while the lighterparticles will be carried by the air-current into the receiving-chamber18, the lightest portions being carried out through the dischargeair-spout 19, while all refuse, excepting the light dust, is depositedinto the receptacle 18. Valves 20, one for each of the compartments intowhich the trunks 5 5 are divided by partitions 6, are employed toregulate the capacity of the openings between the trunks 5 5 and thereceiving chamber or chambers 18, as required. By regulating thevelocity of the air through the respective trunks by setting the valvesit is apparent that the grain may be relieved of cheat or otherimpurities as it is fed in, and this, together with smut, may becollected in trunk 5, while the material subjected to the scouringaction of the blades 11 is driven up into the trunk 5, and the lighterportions being removed by the scouring action being continuously carriedout by the action of the air-blast, while the heavier portions return bytheir own gravity through the chambers formed by the curved rear wall 7"of the chute and by the oblique position of the partitions 8 aregradually forwarded longitudinally through the scouring apparatus. Onreaching the farther end of the spaces through which the material isintroduced the heavier material gradually escapes through an opening 21into the vertical chute 22 and from thence to the inlet-trunk 23,through which air is admitted to the eye of the fan. A deflector 24turns the descending current of scoured and cleaned material away fromthe eye of the fan, so as to prevent the heavier portions being drawninto the fan-case and at the same time to cause any light impuritieswhich may still remain in the material to be carried back into thefan-case by theinflowing air.

An important principle in the operation of this apparatus is that thematerials under treatment are subjected to aspiration by the action ofan air-blast forced through the material in a direction transverse tothe latters movement, while the material itself is constantly returnedfor further action of the fan by the curved form of the walls of thechamber into which the material is projected by the impact of thefan-blades.

In Fig. 3 I have shown in vertical section, on a plane taken near thereceiving end of the machine,an apparatus which is well adapted forreducing middlings to flour and forall disintegrating operations. Ashere shown and as further illustrated by the detail horizontal section,Fig. 3", which is taken on the plane near the lower end of the settlingor flour-receiving chambers, the apparatus is adapted for the gradualand complete reduction of middlings to flour and delivering the groundproduct in four grades.

The rotary fan is constructed and operated as described with referenceto Figs. land 2, the interior surface of the fan-case 10 being .suitablyroughened and the outer disintegrating-surfaces of the blades 11 12being adjusted as close as desired to the-roughened interior surface ofthe fan-case. The fan being rapidly rotated in the direction indicatedby the arrow 1), Fig. 3, material fed in spout or hopper 4 near one endwill be sent through the trunk 5, the interior of the fan-case, passingfirst into a trough 25 and thence through the first of a series ofopenings 27, which extend along the bottom of said trough from end toend, or the passage 27 may consist, practically, of acontinuouslongitudinal slot in the bottom of the trough 25. The materialis ground between the roughened surfaces 10, and as it is carried upthrough the top of the fan-case the centrifugal force of the fan-bladesdrives the material with great force through the tangential passageabove the trough 25 and upward against the curved front wall '7 of thecylindrical chamber 7 7 in which it receives the vertical or rapidmotion as above described, while the finer particles of the material arecarried upward by the force of the air-blast through the trunk 5 andover into the first settling-chamber 28. The larger particles, whoseweight adapts them to overcome the weight of the blast, fall back intothe trough 25 andthence into the fan-case through the apertures 27,While the continuous screw conveyer 26 gradually forwards the materialreceived .by the trough 25 longitudinally in the machine, so that ateach return the unfinished heavy particles reach the fan-case atdifferent points. The receiving and settling chambers may be dividedinto any number of compartments. two compartments 28 29 longitudinallyof the machine, divided by a transverse partition 30, and thesesubdivided into compartments 31 32 by longitudinal compartment 33. It isapparent that the heaviest particles, which longest resist the upwardcurrent of the airblast in the trunk 5, so as to be returned the oftenerto the fan-case, will be delivered into the second receiving andsettling compartment 29. The entrance to each of the compartments 28 29is guarded by a choke-valve 34 to regulate the force of the blast. Fromthe settling-compartments 2,8 29 the air-blast passes upward betweendeflecting-slats 35 over the top of thelongitudinal partition 33 and isthen carrieddownward by a curved deflector 36 into the respectivechamber 31 32, in the top of which are deflecting-slats 35*,

, between which the air passes on its way to the outlet 37. The functionof the oblique deflecting-slats 35 35 is to prevent directdrafts'between the introduction and outlet passages and distribute theair-currents uniformly over the area of the respective settling-chambers28 29 31 32.

From the above description it will be clearly understood that theheaviest and most Valuable parts of the ground or finished materialwillbe arrested in the settling-chambers 28 29, from which they will bedischarged from the spouts 38 39, while. any valuable material which islight enough to be carried over to the second settling-chambers 31 32and light enough to be carried off to the final dischargespout 37 by theair-current, which is reduced.

in force by the larger area of the chambers 31 32, will be arrested inthese chambers and discharged through the spouts 41 42. V

This machine is especially valuable for reducing maize to hominy, sinceby its construction the detached bran, starch, and germ is immediatelyseparated from any heavier material. By this immediate separation I amenabled to take out the germ substantially whole and in such a conditionas to be used It is also true that by the instantaneous removal ofstarchy particles as they are scoured off from the I have shown in Fig.3,

grains they do not become intermingled or conglomerated with the germand disinte-.

grated bran, but pass out. so free and pure that by a suitableseparating-reel the starch may be removed from the grain and germ in asubstantially pure condition, whereby the value of the products commonlycalled offal orfeed is very materially increased. In adapting my machineto the manufacture of hominy I use sharp cutting-surfaces upon theperiphery of the revolving fan and preferably cone-shaped projectionsfrom the inner surface of the fan-case; but any mode that will produce aretarding of the material so that the cutting-surfaces on the peripheryof the fan must come continuously in contact with the grain performs thesame function as the projectingcone-shaped teeth.

In the operation of all classes of material tobe scoured my machineremoves-the material in more granular and mcrchantable condition, owingto the continuous separation the instant that the reduction is produced.As a machine for reducing wheat to middlings,I am enabled to accomplishthe same in this one machine that is ordinarily produced infrom three tosix reductions in the present system of milling, and also to dispensewith separating-screens and to produce a much higher grade of middlings.

In my drawings I have shown that the fan maybe operated in oppositedirections. The construction whereby the material is thrown upward andthen deflected across the ascending air-current is the preferable formfor all heavy materials; but the construction of the fan showing thematerial thrown horizontally operates well in the reduction of middlingsand other fine material to flour; .but I do not confine myself to eithermode of construction or to any special angle or direction to the mouthof the discharge fan.

' Having thus described my invention,the following is what I claim asnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a fan-casing having an abrading inner surface, acombined fan and abrader comprising air-lolast-producing blades andabrading-surfaces, an approximately circular chamber and a straightouter wall provided with an overhanging upper IIO portion which deflectsthe material upward and forward into said chamber across the airblast,said chamber and wall being located on the upgoin g side of the fan, thedeflectin board 9 and theadjustable partitions 8 which receive thedescending material in the deadair space formed by the curvature of thechamber and the said deflecting-board 9.

2. The combination of acombined fan and disintegrator comprising blastproducing blade's,-outer scouring, abrading or grinding surfaces,-afan-case having an inner scour-- ing, abradlng or grinding surface, anda tangential outlet and an approximately curved chamber provided with anouter straight wall having an overhanging upper portion situated on theupgoing side of the fan, the adjustable partitions, and the dead-airspace formed by the deflecting-board 9.

3. The combination of a fan-casing having an abrading inner surface, anda combined fan and abrader comprising blast-producing blades,andabrading-surfaces,bothin said casing, radial brace-bars connecting theouter ends of the bladesto the hub of the fan, adjusting-nuts on saidrod adapted to engage the blades whereby the fan-arms may be adjusted tovariable distances to the fan-case to simultaneously vary the abradingand fan action; said fan-casing having a tangential discharge-opening,and a chamber formed with a front straight wall provided with anoverhanging upper portion, and a curved rear wall, adjustablepartitions, and a deflectingboard 9 arranged in said chamber, thecurvature of the chamber and the deflectingboard forming a dead-airspace whereby the material is continuously deflected across the upgoingblast of air delivered by said fan simultaneously with the material.

4. In a combined disintegrating and sepasisting of a dead-air spaceformed by a deflecting-board 9 and the curved rear wall of said chamber,also making communication between the fan-casing and the said circularchamber, an escape-passage for the air-blast and light materials beyondsaid circular chamber, and settling-chambers; all substantially as setforth.

JOHN M. CASE.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. CRUsE, H. S. KNIGHT.

